OFFICIAL: West Ham appoint Graham Potter as Head Coach
Graham Potter has shared his pride, enthusiasm and excitement at being appointed Head Coach of West Ham United.
The 49-year-old is embracing the opportunity to take charge of a club he admires for its history and traditions. He works for a fan base and a community he has great respect for, and with a talented squad of players.
In his first interview after his appointment with West Ham TV, Potter shared his passion for building well-coached teams capable of playing entertaining, adaptable, innovative and ultimately winning football.
Potter also spoke energetically about the prospect of bleeding promising young players from the Academy of Football and the already close relationship between the club, its players and the millions of passionate supporters who cheer them on from the stands at the London Stadium and across the strengthen the world. .
The respected Head Coach has had an incredible journey: from leading Östersund from the Swedish fourth tier to the UEFA Europa League, Brighton & Hove Albion to a record high in the Premier League and Chelsea to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, and he is now ready to embark on another successful adventure in East London.
Returning to the place and role he feels most at home in after a break sharing his knowledge as a respected expert, Potter is recharged and ready to get back to work, starting with the third round tie at the Emirates FA Cup Friday at Aston Villa. followed by back-to-back Premier League London Stadium derbies with Fulham and Crystal Palace next week…
Graham, welcome to West Ham United! How does it feel to be appointed Head Coach of a football club with a rich heritage, history and tradition? It's a very proud day and I'm very excited. I'm looking forward to meeting the players, getting on the training pitch and working with them, and then I'm looking forward to working for the supporters. As an away manager [managing against West Ham]the fans here have always been incredibly supportive [of their team]and I'm looking forward to meeting them too. Something that has always struck me about West Ham is that it is a passionate, ambitious club, with loyal supporters and a family atmosphere. I've always thought that. I'm really looking forward to getting to know everyone and becoming part of the family. West Ham United is a huge football club, with a huge, dedicated fan base. You've considered many offers, so in your own words what is it about us that makes you want to coach with us again? There were many different factors that made this job the right one. There is the history, the tradition, the family feel of the Club and the incredibly loyal and passionate fan base. There is an exciting squad and a brilliant Academy that is producing good, young players who I want to get to know and work with, so there are a lot of different things that make this opportunity really interesting. I was patient for a reason, waiting for the right opportunity, and I just felt like this was the right move for me. Your ambitions and goals are clearly in line with those of the seniors at the club you spoke to. Talk about that a little more? I want to continue to improve as a coach. I'm very happy with the career I've had so far, and I'm proud of what I've achieved in the twelve or thirteen years as a coach. Going from the fourth tier of Swedish football to the quarter-finals of the Champions League is a journey that is not free. I've enjoyed the break I've had, but now I'm looking forward to the next twelve years. I am very happy to be playing for a club that I believe has the ambition to compete in the Premier League and to take part again in the European nights that the supporters have really enjoyed in recent years.
There is always the ambition for all of us to really test ourselves at the highest level. Right now the starting point is the team and the group that we have, and again I can't wait to meet everyone and start working with everyone because there is so much talent here. You clearly have a love and passion for coaching football teams, so you probably can't wait to get on the training pitch and get started? When you've had some free time, you have some time to think about why you really want to do something, and about your real ambitions, and I think it's always to work with players, and to help them, it team and club to improve. I've had some wonderful experiences with different clubs, and it's about connecting the team with the supporters. I think if you have that connection, and that trust, you can achieve great things. Obviously it won't happen overnight, but I'm really looking forward to getting started. I'm really looking forward to the first training and am excited to get started. Your enthusiasm for the game is clearly visible when you speak. Are you excited to return to the Premier League and coach a talented squad of players? It's certainly an exciting team and I'm looking forward to getting started. It is a team that has invested in the summer and it has probably been a transition phase, so we need to understand where everyone is and what their strengths and weaknesses are. We must really try to build a team that the supporters can be proud of. of, which they can recognise, and which truly represents the values and quality of this Club. Then we just have to keep looking ahead, work very hard and achieve our results. I think that's what the fans want and demand: hard work and leaving everything on the pitch, but also with some quality, and I think it is there. enough here. Your football has excited and entertained supporters wherever you have coached. It must be such a thrill to put a smile on the faces of players and supporters alike? I think if you ask most supporters they would say they want to be entertained, and I think that's the case at West Ham with the whole history of the club and tradition. With all that, and with my experiences, that's something we'll strive for. Enjoyment is important, and I think that if the players enjoy themselves, that can help convey the fun to the terraces. You have to look like you want to play football because at the end of the day we are in a fantastically privileged position. That's something I've believed in my entire career. However, I think football is about balance, and I don't think you can talk about attacking football if you are not stable at the back or if you are not good defensively. So we have to make sure that we do that. Ultimately, you have to look at the players and think about how you can get the best out of them and play to their strengths. No one is perfect, so we have to cover each other, work as a team and work as a unit. We have to get that team, group and club mentality, and I think fun is a big part of that. I think we have to smile when we play and train, but we also know that it takes a lot of hard work because we want to improve and win. In Östersund and Brighton, in You especially made sure that your club was deeply rooted in the local community. How important is that close and united relationship to building a successful football club?
I think the relationship between the team and the supporters and the community is the most important at a football club. We need the supporters, it's that simple. If we can set the direction for them and the product on the pitch, if we can show our passion and desire, and if we can show our quality, then I think the supporters will get it back there. I think the fans just want to see something they believe in and identify with. Of course it takes some time because like everything you have to go through some ups and downs together, but I think if you do that you become stronger for it. Confidence is something you have to work hard to get, but once you have it, you can achieve tremendous things. With half a season to go, we can get started right away! An FA Cup third round draw at Aston Villa, and then your first home game under the lights of the London Stadium against Fulham – I bet you can't wait to hear that roar from 62,500? I can't wait to get started on Friday evening in what promises to be a great FA Cup match at Aston Villa. Villa Park is always a great place to go. It's an opportunity for us to get to know the team and try to win the game. We want to move on to the next round, that is the goal and ambition. Then the first match at the London Stadium against Fulham will be a very proud evening for me. I'm really excited to meet the supporters and be here for the first time as head coach of West Ham, rather than someone who comes here to beat the home team. I'm excited, but at the same time it's not about me. I want to help the players and start the journey of creating a sense of connection between the team and the supporters, which is the most important thing. Speaking directly to Claret and Blue Army, what is your message to our supporters? All the West Ham fans I met were very supportive. I think they are very honest and knowledgeable, so I'm really looking forward to connecting with them and getting to know them. I'm looking forward to getting to know the local community and area. There has been a lot of development and change here over the years, but I think there is a consistent character, personality and attitude here, and it is a huge privilege to be here. Being responsible for bringing a little joy into people's lives in a fantastic way. I'm going to do my best to help the team and create a team that they recognize and are proud of, and I want to thank everyone who wished us well.
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